Name:

Dear Sir/Madam,

Peter Blockley

Personal Statement

I am a recent graduate who is enthusiastic about applying for the Business and Technology consultant role at IBM. The role caught my attention because I have a deep interest in business and technology. In my spare time I enjoy building computers from individual components, and have taught myself internet mark-up languages such as HTML and CSS. Through my academic interest in economics and politics I have also enjoyed studying the way in which businesses and governments innovate to adapt to changing environments and challenges. I clearly have the raw passion to succeed in this role. As well as being highly passionate about the roles content, I will be able to add value within this role because, as my C.V. shows, my skill set is in tune with the core competencies that IBM looks for in potential employees:

Communication. The role requires a communicator to understand client issues and present innovative solutions. During extra-curricular activities I have shown these skills. I have often used constructive questions to probe for insight, and am comfortable presenting my own contributions with clarity and precision. Problem Solving. The role demands an ability to understand a problem and connect it to a solution. My C.V. shows I have aptitude at analysing issues, highlighting root causes and developing arguments for solutions. Teamwork. To complete projects on time, teamwork will be essential. I am comfortable taking responsibility to ensure team success, and have shown reliability when working as an effective team member. I have shown these qualities whilst campaigning during a general election, and in numerous sporting activities.

From this brief introduction, I hope the rest of my application will show how passionate and well suited I am for this role with IBM. Thank you for taking the time to read my application, Peter Blockley
Eligibility to work in the UK (please provide details): e.g. EU citizen or work permit/visa details if

EU Citizen, British Passport Holder

Education and Qualifications

University / Institution Manchester Years of Study 3

Qualification and Subject

University Alton College 2

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (Economic and Social Studies) Politics A-Level Government and Politics A History A English Literature B GCSE English Literature English Language Science (Double) Maths German Art and Design Design and Technology History

Result/Grad e 2:1

Portsmouth Grammar School

A* A AA A A B A* A*

Work Experience
Company: Citizens Advice Bureau (Volunteer) (08/2011 ongoing) Roles and Responsibilities:
Sit in on gateway assessments with trained advisor and client Enter gateway assessment notes concisely into case system. Handle complex social policy data. Input data in MS Excel and develop tables and charts for use in senior management social policy meetings.

John Leech MP (Volunteer) (02/2010 05/2010)

Communicate with constituents directly over the phone regarding casework enquiries. Contact relevant authorities to pursue individual casework enquiries, and update case record with results. Demonstrate teamwork whilst canvassing with other volunteers. Present key elements of 2010 general election campaign message to different voter orientations during brief doorstep interactions.

Goodwood Food (Part-time) (06/2010 10/2011)

Demonstrate excellent client focus and maintain Goodwood race courses outstanding record of service. Organise bar and cellar stock, dealing with any logistical issues before they impact on customer experience.

Hillier Garden Centre (Part-time) (03/2009 02/2010)

Work as an adaptable and reliable member of a hard working team. Use commercial acumen to reorganise shop floor displays with a customer focus.

Skills and Achievements

Adaptability (Word limit 150 words)

In academic life and extra-curricular activity I have demonstrated my ability to adapt. A good example of my skill in this area comes from the work I contributed to an election campaign prior to the 2010 General Election. During the campaign, I was asked to lead volunteers who were complete strangers to each other. This was a new experience. Previously, I had only led teams of people that I had at least a basic relationship with. The team was shy and communicating poorly. To adapt to this new challenge, I organised the team into pairs and rotated individuals to allow the team to get to know each other. I successfully adapted to this new challenge by:

Staying calm. I adapted existing teamwork skills to the new task.

Offering continued leadership despite uncertainty, and suggesting a simple course of action. Remaining open to changing my plan if it would improve performance.

Teamwork (Word limit 150 words)

I thoroughly enjoy working as part of an effective team. I feel my skills in this area were highlighted well during my time as a writer for my University paper. I wrote for the comment section. This meant taking part in weekly editorial discussions, as well as producing and submitting my own articles for publication. Working with the comment section allowed me to draw on valuable teamwork skills:

Reliability. I consistently delivered quality work to agreed deadlines Respect for other ideas. I offered my thoughts, and contributed actively to the weekly team debates in a constructive, helpful way. Loyalty. I supported team decisions once they had been made. I helped other team members in any way I could, particularly when a member wrote an article that caused backlash in the student body.

Effective Communication (Word limit 150 words)

My communication skills were demonstrated during a work placement in an MPs office. I was required to communicate with constituents directly over the phone, and extract salient information about their casework. To follow casework up, I had to negotiate with government bodies directly. The work I put into this activity showed my aptitude at: Understanding what is being communicated. I used the right questions and queries to extract the required information from constituents in order to solve their case. Adapting communication to the goal. When talking to constituents it was important to listen. When negotiating with agencies, being assertive was more effective. Verbal presentation. I was the offices frontline of interaction with constituents. It was important to maintain standards of presentation. Without them, constituents may feel the office was unprofessional and that their MP was uncommitted to their issues.

Skills and Achievements contd:

Self Motivation and Drive to Succeed (Word limit 150 words)
I showed my drive to succeed whilst writing a top graded dissertation in my final year of university. I planned the project carefully, ensuring I had set aside reasonable time to achieve each task. When tasks were not complete on time, I motivated myself to sacrifice free time to

complete them. I was driven to constantly improve my understanding, and master my chosen topic area by exploring areas of enquiry that were above my academic level of understanding. I patiently and meticulously got to grips with new, problematical areas in order to improve my overall understanding.

Initiative and Creative Problem Solving (Word limit 150 words)

I love to use creative thinking to find solutions to complicated problems. I showed this in the first few weeks of volunteering with the Citizens Advice Bureau. I was asked to work on producing clear graphs and charts of social policy data for the next quarterly policy meeting. This involved handling very complex and extensive data. To resolve this, I utilised creative problem solving skills. I used fact finding and creative analysis to understand the core of the issue. I thought creatively about how to make the process easier and more efficient. I planned carefully, and followed my ideas through to completion.

My work was eventually used at a management meeting, and I was commended for its clarity and presentation.

Client Focus (Word limit 150 words)

I understand the importance of seeing a clients requirements from their point of view. In parttime employment I have seen the impact that attentive service can have. Whilst working in a box at Goodwood race course, a client mentioned that she enjoyed her meal, but found the food overwhelmingly spicy. I put myself in her shoes and remembered that I need a tissue to blow my nose and clear my head after eating spicy food. I saw an opportunity for client focus and located some tissues. When I presented these to her, she was delighted that I reacted to her requirements without a specific request to do so. This is the kind of client interaction which I like providing. I particularly enjoy the feeling of professionalism that such service offers. Knowing that the client sees your service as skilled and reliable creates a sense of pride that I thoroughly enjoy.

Please provide reasons why you have applied to this particular role
(Please tailor your answer depending on whether you are applying to a business or technical role) (Word limit 150 words) I have applied to this role for a number of reasons.

1. Direct client work.

This will provide the opportunity to gain insight into a variety of business models. This would broaden understanding and fulfil my passion for business. This will also mean being an ambassador for IBM. Previously, I have taken pride in providing excellent service as an organisations representative. I would love to be in this position with IBM.

2. Work with advanced business solutions.

I have always been interested in technology. The role would require me to work with, and

present, technological solutions every day. This is a very attractive prospect.

3. Travel.
I thoroughly enjoy travel, and would relish the opportunity to visit new places with work.

4. Teamwork.
I thrive when operating as a member of an efficient team. The role has a focus on teamwork, and so successes would be highly rewarding for me.

Additional Information Please provide us with any other information you feel
relevant to your application e.g. technical skills, experience with or understanding of technology, business acumen or achievements/awards, etc. (Word limit 150 words) I am comfortable using Microsoft Office software including Excel, Powerpoint and Word. I have an understanding of mark-up languages such as HTML and CSS.